Join Freecycle to cut waste

Do you have items in your storeroom unutilised or underutilised and is cluttering up your house? Join a Freecycle group to help clear clutter, cut waste, help reduce the mountains at your nation's wastedumps, help the environment, help a fellow passenger of spaceship earth, etc. etc. At the time of writing, there are 3,086 communities and 1,661,428 members spread over many nations.

What is freecycle?

The Freecycle Network™ is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is run by a local volunteer moderator (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community near you from http://freecycle.org. Can't find a group near you? You might want to consider starting one (click on "Start a Group" for instructions).

Alternatively, go to Yahoo Group's homepage and search for "freecycle". You will find thousands of groups.

Have fun!

History

The Freecycle Network was started in May 2003 to promote waste reduction in Tucson's downtown and help save desert landscape from being taken over by landfills. The Network provides individuals and non-profits an electronic forum to "recycle" unwanted items. One person's trash can truly be another's treasure!

How does it work?

When you want to find a new home for something -- whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano, or an old door -- you simply send an e-mail offering it to members of your Freecycle group.

Or, maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself. Simply respond to a member's offer, and you just might get it. After that, it's up to the giver to decide who receives the gift and to set up a pickup time for passing on the treasure.

One main rule: Everything posted must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages.

Non-profit organizations also benefit from The Freecycle Network. Post the item or items you want to give away and a local organization can help you get it to someone in need.

Who can use the freecycle network?

Think globally, recycle locally. The Freecycle Network is open to all communities and to all individuals who want to participate. Freecycle groups are run by local volunteer moderators from across the globe who facilitate each local group - grassroots at its best!

Support them, and you support your children, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren ..........